To Ebay or to Craigslist? That is the Question!

Beginner? Know the Ropes!

One of the absolute best byproducts of the boom created by the internet is the advent of sites such as Ebay and Craigslist. Up until this type of site came into existence, the only avenue available to the everyday man or woman was the newspaper. I can remember back in 1996 I wanted to have a one day garage sale to move some of my unwanted items from around the house. I called my local newspaper and placed an ad to announce my “Big Sale”. I couldn’t believe it when I was told that my tiny little ad was going to cost me $54.00, run for three days and be limited to twenty-five words, including my address! The best that I could hope for was that somebody would see it. Remember those days? The newspapers were filled with Classified ads. It was an absolute miracle if someone spotted yours.

Today, thank God, we no longer have to rely on such a limited means of advertising for selling or buying almost anything. Instead of being limited to the circulation of a particular newspaper, we can advertise our unused or unwanted items to a global market with millions of potential buyers. By the same token, we can view hundreds of thousands of listings in search of that 1954 Mickey Mantle card we need to complete our collection and possibly have a say in what the final price will be. You can buy items in an auction format, a “make an offer” format or even a “buy it now”, pre-priced format. You have greater opportunity and greater control either way. So what’s to worry about? Nothing, if you do your homework first. It’s not a nice world for the unsuspecting or ill prepared. You can end up losing money, your item, your reputation and even end up being sued, or worse.

You need to play by the rules, do some research, read the fine print and when in doubt; don’t do it. I purchased a coin (a large one) on Ebay a few years back from a seller half way across the country. The seller enclosed the coin in a standard envelope with a printed invoice. The coin was not immobilized but free to roll around as the envelope shifted. Needless to say, the coin was no longer in the envelope when it reached me. There was a gaping hole where it had made its exit somewhere along the way. Not only did the buyer blow off my inquiries and protest, he kept my money, all of it, and proceeded to name me and a number of other buyers who had had the same experience with this seller, in a lawsuit that he filed for “defamation”. Nothing is ever as it appears. If it looks too simple; read the fine print again!

Unfortunately Ebay was unable to do very much at the time. This was before they had all of the guarantees and buyer protections in place that they have today. Just a footnote here, always use PayPal when doing business on Ebay, if at all possible. It currently offers a multitude of protections that you can’t get anywhere else. Ebay and PayPal are actually one in the same now and everything becomes seamless in a problematic situation. NOT easy, but at least seamless.

The Good, the Bad and the Just Plain Awful.

Let’s start by looking at Ebay as we have already started to discuss their site. The big pluses in listing or looking on Ebay are their sheer size and audience. As a potential buyer, they may offer hundreds of thousands of listings in a single category. The downside is that you may have to look at each and every one of them to find what you are looking for. The search feature on Ebay is a two edged sword. If you are too vague in your search criteria, you can end up in a very general group of listings having little to do with your needs. If you are too precise in those criteria, you could end up missing the bulk of the listings you seek. Spelling also plays a huge roll in searching on Ebay. Remember that Coke Bottle is not going to bring up listings that are titled Coca-Cola Bottle, and vice-versa. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes pretty easy to use. Just keep in mind that if you want to list that sixty year old Coke bottle; add Coca-Cola to your title.

Another plus with Ebay is the audience size. As we noted before your potential readership is now global in scope and not just local. The flip side of that is overseas sales and purchases. If you are a buyer; know where your seller is located and where the item ships from. Also look at your seller’s feedback rating. You can view all of this right from the listing page and it will tell you a ton. If a seller does not have a 100% rating, don’t despair. Because of Ebay rules this can be more than just a “bad seller”. It could have to do with the product they sell. There may be nothing wrong with the product but in some cases it could simply be a problem with the final price. For instance, a seller in Los Angeles is picture frames, 5X8 picture frames. He starts his listings at ninety-nine cents. A buyer in Vermont wins the auction at the ninety-nine cents. WOW! That buyer receives the item five days later and realizes that he paid ten times more for the shipping than he did the item. He’s furious. He goes onto Ebay and slams the seller on his feedback rating. The seller has no recourse except to refund ALL of the buyer’s money in an attempt to “bribe” the buyer into retracting the negative feedback. The buyer gets their money back in these cases and keeps the item as a seller is not going to lose another $10.00 paying for the buyer to return the item. It is important to note here that all shipping charges are disclosed in the listing prior to the buyer entering a bid. The sad part about all this is that Ebay, for whatever reason decided a few years ago to have only one way feedback. A buyer can leave any feedback they desire for the seller but the seller can only leave “positive” feedback for the buyer-no matter what! If you are selling on Ebay be sure to understand that a 100% buyer rating is useless. Read what the other sellers actually says about the transaction.

Craigslist on the other hand is far more forgiving in their searches and rarely does shipping enter into the equation. While not anywhere near the scope and size of an Ebay, Craigslist has many benefits that Ebay just can’t offer. Usually you can have your item the same day that you purchased it. As a buyer or a seller this can be very advantageous. Almost anything you see on Craigslist is negotiable to some extent, no matter what the listing says. The most common concerns on using Craigslist are the safety and security questions that arise and the “deadbeats”. Let’s take the “deadbeats” first. These people can be extraordinarily frustrating. If you are a buyer, you can show up at the prescribed location, sometimes a long drive from your home, only to find the item is gone to someone else or that the seller isn’t home as planned. Even worse, the price has changed or the item is nowhere near what the listing described it to be or in the condition you were told. Happens more than you would think.

Safety and security. These two concerns go hand in hand. Whether you are the buyer or the seller, let common sense prevail. Know who your buyer or seller is as best as you can. Ask questions. Offer to work out the details by phone. Now you have an email address as well as a phone. DEAL LOCALLY! The more you know about an area you may have to go to in the course of a transaction, the better. If the area is known to you but may be better to visit during the day, then do it. Bring a friend, don’t go alone if you can avoid it. Meet in public places with lots of people if you can arrange it. Don’t invite strangers into your home alone. Ladies I know this sounds sexist but have a male friend present if possible until the other party leaves. It may not be politically correct but it’s smart.

One of the other problems with Craigslist is the Spam. NEVER put your personal email address in a listing. You just can’t believe how much Spam you will get if you do. Secondly, if you are selling something, be careful to check the email address of the sender. If it looks suspicious, report it and delete it. Inquiries that are poorly written and sound like “bad acting” are almost always dangerous. My personal favorites are the ones that start off with, “Gooday Mate” or some heart wrenching story about their car being smashed up by some irresponsible relative and now they can’t find the cash to fix it. But if you help them out then…”. Report and delete. Another favorite is the “My daughter works at the Post Office scam”. This one involves a postal money order and all they need is your particulars to get the proper documents executed. Run away and run fast! Don’t ever give anyone your personal information. You’re better off keeping the old toaster oven you had listed.

Unfortunately for Craigslist, anything negative that occurs that is even remotely related to their site, reflects back on them in a big way. They are providing an opportunity that cannot be found anywhere else and it’s FREE! It is not up to them to hold a users hand and provide what should be common sense in using the site, beyond the warnings evident everywhere on their pages and in all of their communications. The biggest thing I would like to see them solve is the Spam issue.

Simple Guidelines to Keep in Mind

Ebay

The Good:

· Global audience-global marketplace. Huge exposure

· New and Used categories

· PayPal

· Buyer Protection on purchases

· Use of outside vendors for listing assistance

· Choice of listing duration

· Instant payments

· Multiple listing formats

· Shipping calculators

The Not So Good:

· Expensive. Fees for listing an item, fees for selling an item, PayPal fees, fees for listing enhancements… These can mean huge expenses when you add it all up. Know what these fees will be before you list your items.

· Feedback system is just plain awful! It favors the unscrupulous and can punish the honest sellers that list on their site. There is no true “Appeals” process for sellers. A buyer with only a few feedbacks can just be having a bad day and completely pan a seller without real cause.

· Search criteria can be very difficult to navigate, especially for the novice.

· You can get lost on Ebay, it so huge. Your listings can be buried under the sheer multitude of listings. Punch in “American Silver Dollar” and you will see what I mean.

· Try to actually contact them sometime. Everything is automated. If your question or issue doesn’t fall into one of their pre-selected categories, forget it.

· Items sold on Ebay can be subject to tax depending on where you live.

· Possible IRS implications for sellers. Read the fine print.

What Works Best:

· Small items that can easily be shipped and at a reasonable cost. Always get accurate cost for shipping before listing your item.

· Coins and Currency, jewelry, paintings and collectibles. Insure any item you can’t afford to lose! Some shipping sources provide free and automatic insurance up to $100.

· Clothing items of all descriptions

· DVD’s, CD’s, Video Tapes, Record Albums, etc:

· Small toys, action figures, dolls and games

· Game systems and software

What You Might Not Want To List:

· Large, bulky or heavy items

· Furniture, Statues, Glassware. (Fragile antiques and the like can be a nightmare unless professionally packed and insured. Another big expense!)

The best advice I can offer on Ebay is to do your homework. Know what you are doing from the onset and you will have a wonderful experience almost every time. If you are just a beginner, never offer to ship outside the lower 48! This one rule will save you tons of aggravation. Don’t accept money orders unless they are for the exact amount and NEVER ship anything to anyone until the check has cleared. PayPal is expensive but it offers you a great deal of peace of mind.

Craigslist

The Good:

· You can sell from a Pumpkin to a Porsche and almost anything in between

· No Shipping Headaches

· Deal locally

· Free!!!!!! No charge to list and no charge to sell

· You can re-list an item forever. You can edit your listings at will and as many times as you wish

· Great for large items such as furniture or carpets

· You can refuse an item if it is not acceptable to you and not have to argue and then wait for a refund.

· No Taxes

The Not So Good:

· Limited audience

· Number of pictures allowed on listing

· Deadbeats and “No Shows”

· A little scary at times

· Spam and fraudulent emails

· Site can be very slow and cumbersome for multiple listings

· There are a lot of weird people out there

What Works Best:

· Furniture, large items, bulky or heavy items or other items that would cost a lot to ship

· Larger or fragile antiques

· Cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, lawnmowers and tractors, as well as boats

· Appliances and air conditioners

· Tools-especially power tools

· Clothing and household items in bulk

What You Might Not Want To List:

· Jewelry, coins or other high value items that could draw criminals directly to you and your home.

· Small items that may be so inexpensive that a person would spend more to come and get it than they might pay for it. These listings tend to languish and lead to over-populated categories.

Craigslist has some limitations and isn’t overly sophisticated but it’s a great deal for the price. Use your head and have plenty of patience and you should do fine. Do plenty of homework before pricing your item. It rarely pays to be the most expensive item on there. Refrain from accepting offers before the buyer actually sees your offering. Chances are, they will probably try to renegotiate when they come, if they show.

When listing multiple items on Craigslist make mention of your other listings and use “key words” to help your audience see everything you have. You can accomplish this simply by making a list of each item and placing it in every listing you post. Use three words or less to describe if possible. Examples: lawnmower, movie camera, leather coat, jet ski, etc:

Use your head and keep it simple. Ask questions. Both sites offer help categories that are fairly straight forward, use them. Working with either site can be fun and rewarding if done correctly. Under promise and over deliver and you should do well. Be sure to read how the Ebay “feedback” system works before you try and sell anything. A buyer can leave negative feedback for any reason they desire and you have no recourse. Best of luck!